


Downpour

by liginamite



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M, Red Cricket - Freeform, Tumblr Ask Box Fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-17
Updated: 2013-01-17
Packaged: 2017-11-25 21:30:30
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,039
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/643163
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/liginamite/pseuds/liginamite
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>If you get caught in a rainstorm, it's better when you get caught with someone else.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Downpour

**Author's Note:**

> Written for acoupletshort on Tumblr, "Red Cricket, something lost, something found" being the prompt, but I didn't think it through, haha! Phonefic is starting to cause me grief. Posted here because I couldn't do a read more and I didn't want to clog up dashes.

"Oh..." 

Ruby's tone goes from shocked to dismayed to agitation in record time as she turns her view towards the sky. Rain pelts down, slow at first but gaining speed, and she has to shield her eyes, huffing angrily and ducking under a lower branch from one of the trees lining the street. She reaches into her bag, shifting around for the retractable umbrella she bought not a couple weeks ago, but after a few more seconds it becomes clear it's not there. 

Of course she forgets her umbrella when it rains. Her hair is already starting to clump together in wet strands that tumble down her shoulders and back, even with her hat, and with a resigned sigh she resumes her walk back to Granny's. She's already soaked through before she's even reached the end of the block, and the walk home is going to be miserable. 

" _Wait_ , Pongo, _Pongo_ stop, hold--hold on, boy, hey--!"

Ruby has about a second to register the voice before the brilliant white Dalmatian is rounding the corner, leash dragging, and jumps up, barking excitedly and muddy paws scrapping against her thighs. Ruby can't help but laugh even as her shorts are dirtied, rubbing the happily panting dog's ears and a second later Dr. Hopper stumbles into view. He's soaked to the bone as well, an oddity in and of itself. For as long as she can remember, he's always had his umbrella with him. 

"Oh, oh no," he says as soon as he sees the mess his dog has made, and Ruby notes the way his cheeks turn pink, still flapping Pongo's ears with vigorous petting. "Ruby, I am so sorry, he, he just sort of jerked out of my grip and ran down the street--"

"It's okay, don't even worry about it," she assures as he manages to catch hold of Pongo's collar and pulls him with a bit of difficulty away. They're both nearly shouting over the downpour, but with how completely soaked through they both are, neither are making a particular attempt to run for cover. "I guess he smelled a friend."

Archie breathes out a sigh of relief and shakes rainwater out of his eyes. His glasses are spotted with drops, too. "I thought I lost him for a second there." 

Pongo barks and licks at Archie's hands, and then he shakes his entire body from head to tail, spraying the both of them. Ruby lets out a startled laugh that Archie mirrors, but he seems to have realized they're still standing in the downpour because he straightens up from crouching next to his rowdy dog and asks, "what are you doing out here in the rain?"

"Oh, you know." She looks around, squinting though the rain. "The weather seemed nice so I decided to take a walk. That got me far." Archie chuckles a little shyly, wrapping Pongo's leash more securely around his hand. "What about you?" She gestures. "Where's your umbrella?"

This gets her a genuine, if not surprised smile. He looks oddly taken aback that she remembered so little a detail, as if everything he did went unnoticed. 

"I forgot it," he admits, and shakes his head again to rid his sight of more rain. "Pongo was so eager to go for a walk, I didn't grab it before we left. Guess I'm paying for it now."

Ruby studies him for a moment, taking in the clothes sticking to his skin and the color still high in his cheeks. Despite how completely soaked they both are, he doesn't seem very put off about it. She's suddenly acutely aware of how grateful she is that she decided to wear black today--her white shirt for work might've hailed some results in this storm that she didn't want. Other men could ogle all they want. Ruby finds herself caring far more about this man's respect than his wandering eyes.

"Well, Doctor," she says, and crooks her arm in his direction, grinning. He stares at her, perplexed smile on his lips. "We might as well finish our ill-fated walks together."

It takes a second as he clearly thinks about it, but then he beams at her and interlocks their elbows, his other hand still holding tight to Pongo's leash. His voice is warm when he responds, chasing the chill of the rain away. 

"Yes, Miss Lucas, I suppose we should."

They start heading back towards town, perhaps a little faster than a casual walk, all the while Pongo jumping eagerly into the puddles. Ruby's soaked to the bone and her teeth are beginning to clench with the desire to chatter, but soon enough they reach town and they're ducking under one of the umbrellas outside Granny's near the door. The rain has begun to lighten up slightly, and Ruby wrings out her hair as Archie wipes off his glasses. 

"Do you want to come in and warm up?" Ruby offers. "Coffee's on me."

The response is a brief stumble of words before he manages to slip his glasses back on and says, "ah, I would love to but. I should probably get Pongo back home." The dog barks. "He's covered in mud, I'll have to find a way to wrestle him into the bathtub."

Ruby shrugs and takes a leap of faith. Worth a shot. "Tonight then, when we're not soaked through. And maybe somewhere other than Granny's."

She watches with amusement as he turns red, but to her delight he doesn't run or, worse still, turns her down. "Uh. Like a, um, a date maybe, is what you're suggesting."

"A date is what I'm suggesting." She quirks an eyebrow. "At the very least we can not look like we've just drowned, which is always a plus."

He looks down, inspecting the dark green leash that's still roped around his hands, and when he looks back up, Ruby is rewarded with that shy smile again.

"Sure. I'd like that."

"Good. Then I'll meet you here." She tilts her feet and touches a kiss to his cheek, a thank you for keeping her company in the bad weather. He's still red, but he looks pleased as she adds in a teasing, "and next time, don't forget your umbrella."


End file.
